[DECtalk] decTalk on IOS with TestFlite beta app?

[Don]

On 11/15/2022 8:11 PM, Karen Lewellen wrote:
> And you know this how exactly?

Know *what*?  Your comment is without reference.

> I use dectalk, because other forms of synthesized speech trigger  health issues.

Then all the more reason for *you* to want the owners of the DECtalk IP
to invest in improving THAT technology!

> My goodness, i dare  say you gleam a sense of self by judging the choices of 
> others as if you were  an authority on all aspects of the human condition.

Wow, what an overreach on your part.  You know jack shit about me
yet feel like you can characterize my personality, motives, etc.

Can you tell me what color shirt I'm wearing, too?  And, what
I had for supper??

I am one of the few developers who have expressed an interest in the
*needs* of folks with disabilities *or* invested development effort
in addressing them.   (Feel free to ask how many other list subscribers
are designing products to address these needs)

I know this because I TALK TO OTHER DEVELOPERS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
And, because you see so many devices created without their concerns
in mind (microwave oven?  washing machine/dryer?  home stereo?  TV?
irrigation controller?  I guess blind users don't *have/want* these
devices...)

They care little about whether you can read the fine print on
the front panel of their product.

Or, can distinguish between the blue and green knobs; or green and
red.

Or *hear* the "default keyclick".

Or, "dejitter" the manual controls so someone with essential
tremor (or Parkinsonian tremor) could use their device.  Or, the
smallness of controls and the tightness of their placements.

Or, have fits induced by the blinking indicators on their displays.

Etc.

I was speaking with a neighbor who is responsible for developing curriculum
for the public school children in our district.  In the course of the
discussion, I commented that "at least one kid in each classroom is
color-blind".  She disputed this.  I qualified it as "one in 15 males"
and, if you assume a nominal class size of 30 with equal numbers of
males and females, that translates to one child.  She continued to dispute
this.

After all, I'm just a silly ENGINEER... how would *I* know these things!
Hint:  It is not taught in engineering curricula.

Two months passed before I bumped into her again.  And, she was
surprised to discover that I was, in fact, correct!  Gee, yet *she*
is the one charged with deciding what and how those kids are taught?

One of the first persons I interviewed when working on this project said,
"Don't make it look blind!" which left me at a complete loss:  "What?"

"Products for blind users LOOK like they were designed for blind users.
Make it sleek and sexy.  Like something folks would be interested in
wanting to know about, own, etc."

"Ah, well, that's likely because quantities are so low that manufacturers
don't want to invest in custom tooling to make a fancy case..."

"And, make it easy to clean and easy to *keep* clean!  If I'm going
to be handling it, the oils and dirt from my hands will quickly get it
dirty.  And, a sighted person nearby would be grossed out to see me
handling something that THEY can SEE as dirty... and then shaking my
hand or accepting a cookie from me, etc."

I quickly learned from the deaf community that they don't *want*
to speak (per se).  They would *tolerate* devices that convert
ASL to spoken word and vice versa.  But, have no inherent desire to
"join" the hearing/speaking world.

I learned form caregivers of alzheimer/dementia patients that the
voice of a friend or family member carries more clout than words from
that caregiver (so, if you can speak in a family member's voice, that
has more value than a generic voice -- DECtalk? -- issuing directions)

You know these things by talking to people and hearing their stories.
You have to expend effort to do so -- which suggests concern for the
needs of others (quite the opposite of your allegations, here).  You
don't get PAID for that effort.

[And, my final product is FOSS so *I* won't get any remuneration
from it, either!  Gee, I guess that's what "authorities on the
human condition" do, right?]

> those commenting positively about my dectalk when compared to tts, are using 
> commercial products, amazon   kindle fire for example.
> But of course the 8 billion on the planet are second to your personal experiences.

And, apparently, YOURS, as well.

But, hey, if you're happy with your 8 tracks, go for it!  I'll be sure to
let my colleagues know that the vision impaired community doesn't need to
be accommodated in any of our designs...